1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a dolly structure for use in displacing a merchandise display rack or a like piece of furniture. It also relates to a display rack in combination with such a dolly structure.
2 Description of the Prior Art
A prior art search has revealed to Applicants the existence to U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,943 to CLEMENT which pertains to a merchandise display vehicle for use in an automobile service station. It has a base which is permanently mounted on a pair of central wheels so that the vehicle may be moved about whenever desired. For this purpose, the vehicle has a pulling handle at its lower end to the vehicle base and nestable in vertical position when not in use. A braking system prevents the central wheels from rotating when the vehicle is in the desired display location. A release mechanism connects the pulling handle to the braking system such that when the pulling handle is moved from its vertical position, for displacing the vehicle, it automatically releases the central wheels for rotation. Casters are also provided at either end of the base of the vehicle to ease in moving it about.
The problem with this arrangement is that the wheels, the casters and particularly the pulling handle are mounted permanently on the vehicle, which are constantly visible and would consequently be rather unsightly if the vehicle was to be used in a retail store where the dolly structure of the invention is particularly intended. In such retail stores, the merchandise display racks, known in the trade as "Gondolas", are disposed in island formation which has to be modified occasionally, therefore requiring that they be displaced. It is however essential, in this context that the whole dolly structure be entirely removable from the display rack.
The prior art search mentioned above has additionally revealed the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,700,212 of 1929 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,318 of 1964 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,039 of 1988 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,152 of 1988
The above patents are less pertinent to the present invention than the CLEMENT patent analyzed above.